I know it's past Christmas... but I only had the time to upload it now... sorry... Merry 'belated' Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Disclaimer: I don't own Spiral

The phone rang noisily contrasting the loud water splashing on the walls of her bathroom. The interruption by the hysterical ringing of the phone made the goddess curse under her breath. The murderous comments kept on coming as the beautiful angel, who was cursing those remarks, reached for her bath towel. Such foul words must be used?

"What now?" she turned her shower off as she wrapped her white bath towel around her slim, yet athletic body. Her contented smile a while ago when she was bathing was replaced by an ugly scowl and the knitted brows, making some wrinkles visible. (As Hiyono-chan said to Ayumu-kun) She answered the phone dripping wet.

"What?" she snapped at the phone. She would not forgive anyone who would interrupt her shower. She was surprised when she heard the jovial voice on the other end of the phone. Maybe saying the 'forgiving pledge' isn't well thought of.

"Maa... maa... maa... don't be irritated... what's up?" his cheerful voice sounds very suspicious. She detected something in his voice like he is in need. She didn't want him on the line for too long while she was dripping some water on her wooden floor.

"What do you want from me, Kousuke?" she spat her question. She really wanted to hang the phone and return to her bathroom. But she can't end the call from Kousuke, and not knowing the deal behind it.

"Ryouko, I just wanted to ask you something..." he smirked on his mobile phone. He just wanted to hear her voice and piss her as well.

"Just ask it already!" he sensed that she was trying not to yell at him on the line. She can really bark at you when she's irritated, very irritated.

"Why are you in a hurry? Anyway..." he grinned. He knew he was disturbing something she has loved to do by just listening to her.

"Don't change the subject!" she didn't want him to know that he interrupted her bathing. She didn't want him to know her floor was starting to be slippery with the reason of standing there dripping wet.

"I just want you to accompany me in strolling in the park..." his cold yet kind voice reached her ears.

"You are asking me to walk with you while there is snow dripping from the sky. You must be out of our mind!" she rubbed her aching temples. Kousuke might have good brains but he sometimes have outrageous ideas.

"What's your answer?" he asked. He was definitely enjoying this conversation but he was aware of her opposite feeling.

"Sure, pick me up... will you..." her voice whispered. She was flattered that he wanted to spend quality time with her. Anyone one would if the one asking you out is the special person you have some feelings for.

"Yeah... of course..." he smiled as he just got a simple date.

"Bye now, I will just change my clothes... oh and Kousuke, please bring an umbrella in your way towards here..." no one answered her request. Maybe he hung the phone just after his farewell. She thought about it for a while, and then she remembered that she was only wearing her towel.

"Shoot! He's going here and I'm not wearing anything but my white bath towel." she cursed more foul words as she ran towards her warm room.

---

"Ryouko! Open up!" Kousuke shouted as he knocked boisterously at her closed front door. He can't stand the iciness the snow was giving him. He wasn't able to bring an umbrella, so he was wet from walking down the ice cold pavement. Maybe if he didn't hang the phone before Ryouko was done with her farewell, he might bring the umbrella with him. Ryouko always think for his safety.

"Yes, coming..." he heard her faint voice behind the door. He thought that the moment she saw him, he would be scolded for not listening to her and to bring an umbrella... bla, bla, bla...

"Hey there!" he smiled brightly, hoping she would just smile as well. But knowing Ryouko, he wouldn't receive just a smile but a yelling or two. He must be ready for the unexpected.

"Kousuke! You are soaking wet! Did you walked towards here not using an umbrella? Didn't I tell you to bring an umbrella for your safety? Oh yeah, you hang the phone before listening to my reminder... oh, Kousuke... you're such trouble..." she fused at him as she pushes the fallen snow on his shoulder. Her concern was evident trough her expressive brown orbs.

"Uhm... sorry?" he nervously smiled as she kept on murmuring to herself about his stupidity. Sometimes Ryouko's outburst of overflowing concern was very heart-shattering. But he was very pleased to hear her worry about him.

"Kousuke... you know, you might catch a terrible cold when you went here without an umbrella! I might be worried sick for you! You really didn't think about yourself do you? Oh Kousuke... you give me a headache..." she motioned him inside of her apartment. When inside he saw that her house was small yet well organized. Very Ryouko-like.

"Here, dry yourself up..." she smiled as she threw him a white towel, which he caught before it hit his face. "I'll be back with something to drink, kay..." she disappeared behind the walls of her kitchen. He can't remove the thought of her smiling at him. Her angelic face having its smile, she was just plain beautiful.

'Oh, Ryouko...' he thought about her again. As his wandering eyes drifted in her living room, he saw a red box resting on top of the table. 'What's this?' he reached for the box and shook it. 'I wonder...' he grinned. He shook it more expecting sounds that he can use in guessing the contents. To his excitement, he heard nothing, only the noise of shifting. 'A cloth, not a shirt, the box is too small. Not a handkerchief, the box is too big... what can it be?' he pondered more.

"Kousuke, what are you doing?" she asked him as she placed the tray, with two steaming cups, on the table. Her eyes were piercing through his greenish eyes. She looked at him. Her gaze shifted from his eyes towards the red box he was holding.

"Oh, hehehe... nothing..." he let the box fall on top of the table. He stared at her eyes while she gave him the cup.

"Its hot chocolate..." she said. Ryouko looked at him seriously.

"What?" he questioned her.

"We are not strolling down at the park. Get it?" she sternly commanded him. She was worried about his health. She wanted him not to have a cold.

"Sure, anyway, what's inside this?" he asked her as he pointed at the box. Her eyes shifted to the red box. A blush crept to her face; she tried to hide it by hiding behind the cup she was holding.

"The gift is for you..." she murmured as she smiled behind the cup.

"Can I open it now?" he became curious. He did have some gifts from Rio and Eyes, but every Christmas he was waiting for Ryouko's gift. He always thought her gifts very cute. From the handmade sock last year and the other pair two years ago. He wandered as he gazed at the box.

"Hey! Are you going to open it or not?" she partially screamed at him. She was nervous to know his reaction, because his sarcastic laughs haunted her for the last two years.

"Okay, your ruining the mood..." he started to remove the tapes securing the box. His was very excited. He wanted to rip the box now, but Ryouko would find it very suspicious.

He opened it, without laughing. She sighed in relief; she would not die in embarrassment. Kousuke's eyes were glued to the article inside the box. He did guess right about it being a cloth. He was right about the size; not as big as a shirt, and not as small as a handkerchief. It was red, and had white feathery cloth at the ends.

It was a Santa hat.

"What the-" Kousuke grinned. He did expect something outrageous for a gift. He was satisfied to see a Santa hat in the box. Ryouko did put some effort in buying, why would he blame her not giving him a handmade sock or something? He can't stand the pressure the moment was giving him.

He laughed, hard. Making Ryouko stand and grip on his neck, strangling him until he can't breathe.

"Why are you laughing?" she yelled at him while her face was all red from humiliation. For her, the Santa hat was cute. But she couldn't think of anything she can give to him, remarkable enough to remember her.

"Ryouko, why of all stuff a Santa hat?" he asked. He tried the hat on making her giggle. He did look adorable when a Santa hat was placed on his head. He looked at her as she tried not to laugh. He found her beautiful in that current situation.

"Uhm... I w-was at a store at that time and I wanted to give you, something you will like... and knowing you with a strange personality... I bought you that..." Ryouko wanted to die. She did not tell him what she really meant. "And I thought you would look quite cute in the Santa hat..." she added making herself fidget in nervousness.

"Oh, right... and, may I ask, do you believe in Santa Claus?" he queried as he gazed at her through his yellow tinted glasses. Kousuke was glad to see her squirm and to see her eyes darken while she thinks.

"When I was still a child, yes..." she answered at the same time as she sat down across him. His gaze followed her actions.

"Do you still believe now?" he added while he smirked at her. He wanted to know. If ever, he wanted to be her Santa Claus right then. She nodded slowly. Her cup was placed on top of the table after she finished the contents.

"Kousuke, please let it be our little secret... it's very shameful if others will find out..." she said seriously. She saw him motioning her to come closer to him. She stood up and started to walk towards him. But he grinned and said...

"Ryouko, I am Santa Kousuke... I am here to grant you three wishes..." he smiled mysteriously. She laughed lowly as she sat beside him.

"What the, Kousuke... did you loose your brain in walking here?" she mocked him and his shocking thought of being Santa Kousuke. "And if you are Santa... I wonder when you started to grant three wishes... I knew only a genie in a bottle can do that..." she wondered out loud.

"I am Santa Kousuke after all, I can do anything..." he said mischievously as he placed his right hand on her waist.

"Oh, and Santa Kousuke... do think you can do whatever you want with me without permission? If yes you are so wrong!" she raised her voice at him. She did liked the feeling she had felt when his hand was placed on her waist but, she didn't want him to know that little fact. Ryouko removed the hand as she inched away from him.

"Ryouko... hey, I was only joking..." he said.

"Okay, Santa Kousuke as my first wish I would like to hear some apologies from my good old friend Kousuke..." Ryouko grinned as she whispered her wish to him. She knew it was harsh but she wanted to know if he is serious enough to do that thing. And as she tells him her wishes, she would make it hard for him as her vengeance.

"Hmmm... sorry for hugging you... and... I see no point in saying sorry... but your wish is granted..." he finished as he tapped his chin. She just stared at him while she thought of the second wish. Then it struck her, what if she wished for him to confess to her all the feelings he felt for her. What if there are mutual feelings? What if he loved her?

"Uhm, my second wish is for my friend Kousuke would tell his friend Ryouko all the feelings he felt for her. No exceptions. All feelings must be revealed." she smiled triumphantly as she saw him scowl at her wish. "Santa Kousuke should grant all wishes that would be desired upon him, right?" she added. She did have her own revenge. She knew he would be regretful about his hand's journey.

"Okay, I like Ryouko Takamachi. I really do like her. Not only as a friend, but I would love to have only her for Christmas. I love her... are you happy now?" Kousuke's piercing gaze was like seeing through her. Ryouko nodded to his question, she couldn't believe what she just heard. She can't believe that the man, whom she loved, loves her back. It was like the best Christmas gift that was given to her all year.

"Are you telling the truth?" her voice was shaky. Kousuke smiled as he saw her shake. He read the meaning of her actions, she shared the same feelings.

"Know what? I really, really love you..." he murmured as he crushed her body towards his. He was happy, very, very happy.

Ryouko knew he was going to kiss her. But, let her continue her revenge... "Santa Kousuke... wait a second... you haven't gave my last wish..." she said as she pushed him. She heard him grunt in disappointment.

"What is your last wish?" he snapped at her. He only wanted to taste her lips. And then she was the one who tried to stop him.

"I wish that my new found love would remove his yellow tinted glasses... it would only be a hindrance in our upcoming... uhm..." she thought of a word as she blushed hotly, "kiss..." she said. It made him chuckle.

"Fine" he removed the glasses and then resumed in their kiss. He let her sit down on his lap as he deepened the kiss. Merry Christmas Ryouko...

Sorry for the OOC-ness...